From the moment I landed, I had a great feeling about Cape Town and volunteering in South Africa. I was surrounded by beautiful beaches, mountains to hike, and lovely people. The project leaders and volunteers at the Teach Children and Surf in Cape Town project were wonderful people from all of the world!
We loved comparing cultures and sharing our lives back home as we put together activities for the children we would be working with. My first day on project was filled with energy and laughs as we played with the children and began work on their new preschool site.
My time with the project focused more on rebuilding this site and supporting the community in their new home of Wolwe-rivier, Cape Town. We rebuilt the playground, developed a sustainable vegetable garden, and prepared the grounds for school to resume. Quite often the children would grab shovels or rakes and help us with this project!
We provided daily lunches for the children and reintegrated them into a school environment, in which they would receive a daily education and provisions, preparing them for grade school. During our weekends, the other volunteers and I would go on adventures around the Western Cape such as Shark Cage Diving and hiking Table Mountain.
We enjoyed delicious meals at the V&A Waterfront, shopping and sightseeing at Green Market Square, and long drives to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. In my three weeks on this project, I developed priceless friendships and memories. It’s truly amazing how much can be learned about the world and about yourself through helping others in another part of the world. This experience was one I will always cherish and inspires me to return to Cape Town in the future.
